The solutions to the climate crisis are clear: A rapid, just transition to a nuclear-free, carbon-free, 100% renewable energy system. It is an energy system that doesn't rely on antiquated energy models of the 20th Century and their polluting nuclear power and fossil fuel technologies, but on the safe, clean, affordable, and sustainable renewable energy, energy efficiency, and smart technologies of the 21st Century.

Among a myriad of other problems, nuclear power is also rooted in environmental injustice and human rights violations. First Nations, people of color, and low-income communities are targeted for uranium mining and radioactive waste. Radiation harms women and girls at twice the rate as their male counterparts. And radioactive pollution indiscriminately harms future generations, poisoning the environment for hundreds to thousands of years.

The climate crisis is the defining issue of our time. Immediate action is necessary to slash climate-changing emissions in all sectors of society.

Hi all – just a quick reminder of our planning call tomorrow night for Nuclear-Free, Carbon-Free mobilizations to the People’s Climate March. We are less than two weeks out, and still have a lot of exciting planning to do. I hope you can make it.

One of the most important things is to finalize plans for a national event to promote the PCM and nuclear-free, carbon-free mobilizations. On last week’s call, we decided to hold a national webinar/briefing on Chernobyl Day – Wednesday, April 26.

And remember to keep checking our PCM hub page for updates and more materials, and use our NFCF facebook page to share info about local marches and your mobilization plans.

And please – if you are organizing a local/regional nuclear-free event/contingent for the People’s Climate March, send me a link and/or contact info that we can share on the hub and facebook pages.

Questions that NIRS and Beyond Nuclear discussed before the call need to be addressed:

1. Who all is coming to DC? Who is taking part in sister marches, and where? (see above)

2. How many people are expected? We have reports from march organizers that more than 100,000 are expected in DC on 4/29 (as compared to 400,000 in NYC in 2014, and 10,000 in Philly last July – the Carbon-Free, Nuclear-Free Contingents numbered 2,000 to 3,000, and 200 to 300, respectively, at those previous marches).

3. What kind of resources do people need in order to mobilize?

4. Plan event ahead of time, the week leading up to the marches, in order to raise awareness, boost turn out, advance media work, etc. (Will we do a national virtual advance event? See below, re: Chernobyl 31st anniversary on Wed., 4/26, below)

5. Logistical—what is the march line-up? Will there be stages? (We don’t know the march line up yet. The march organizers will let us know ASAP, and we will let everyone know right away once we find out. If there are to be stages, we would have to make it happen on our end.) There have not been the same kind of weekly People’s Climate March planning calls as there were for New York City in 2014.

6. Who will our speakers be? What does our line-up look like? First Nations activists organizing against uranium mining plan to be in D.C. The People’s Climate March website has encouraged advancing the leadership of people of color, women. Also, see more below re: 4/24 advance event, ideas for potential speakers, etc.)

More notes from open discussion on call:

Baltimore-area activists will bring huge banner and its frame to DC, that others may have seen in action before. 2 people minimum, 3 better, are needed to carry it – and help is needed!

One person suggested that the mobilization be dedicated to former NIRS Exec. Director Michael Mariotte.

Idea to build bridges to Women’s March folks, Scientists March folks, etc. To movement build with solidarity between all these marches.

NIRS has an inventory of flags, signs, banners leftover from the Philly march in July 2016, the Women’s march in Jan. 2017. This includes “Nuclear Power? No Thanks!” and “Don’t Nuke the Climate” flags, “Nuclear-Free, Carbon-Free” signs, etc. Other NIRS banner(s) may also be available – “Carbon-Free, Nuclear-Free,” and also “No Nukes, No Coal, No Fracking Way!”

Nuclear Resister in Tucson, Arizona make the case that we need to put front and center, strongly, that “Nuclear Power Is NOT the Answer” (Helen Caldicott book title, by the way); Women’s March, March for Science on 4/22—ongoing movement building

Nuclear power gets in the way of renewables, a point made in New York City in 2014

Helen Caldicott (Beyond Nuclear’s Founding President, by the way! Is she in Australia or North America in late April?!)

Music in Boston, about Pilgrim

(Who will firm up these plans? Who will contact potential speakers? Who will work on potential 4/26 advance event?

Also, please be clear that the 4/26 speakers, etc. are separate from, in addition to, potential speakers, etc. on day-of 4/29—re: DC on 4/29, we have to check with march organizers to see about stages, amplification, etc. Could we do a 4/29 pre-event somewhere on Capitol Hill? Right where we’re supposed to gather for our bloc spot in the march?)

How to get on the main stage in DC? Our best shot might be to talk to one of the indigenous groups who may already be invited to speak. Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN is on the steering committee for this event), and likely will have a role on the main stage at the Washington Monument.